Plant Clones: Science Fiction or Beneficial to the CBD Industry?

If you’ve heard the buzz surrounding the CBD strain clones, you may be wondering what the big deal is. After all, growing a plant isn’t rocket science. Home gardeners tend their small crops every year, and the nation’s farmers tend to the crops that feed and clothe us year-round. Hemp clones, however, represent not just the next step in better CBD oil products, but more efficient growing operations that consume fewer resources to obtain a sufficient quality of the active compounds its grown for.

Building On Success

The purpose of CBD strain clones is to build on the success of a particular plant by creating another one–or a hundred other ones. The cloned plant is genetically identical to the original, mother plant. This means not only that it has the same genetic code, but that given standardized care, you can expect it to behave in the same manner. The ability to reliably duplicate results is huge for hemp agriculture.

It allows for the creation and propagation of CBD-rich strains. Since CBD strain clones are exact copies of the mother plant, it lets growers and hemp engineers evolve strains for a particular set of desirable conditions, then immediately stop that evolution when a plant that fits their criteria has been created by simply copying that successful plant.

Cloning creates female-only crops. Female industrial hemp has, on average, higher CBD concentrations than male plants. Unfertilized female plants have the highest potential CBD concentrations. A field full of CBD strain clones can be entirely female, avoiding the likelihood of pollination should male plants be present.

It can lower costs and increase profits by getting a higher yield from less land and resources. Quality CBD oil products are a hot commodity, and supply is struggling to keep up with demand. Farmland in many parts of the country, however, is at a premium. Growing a richer crop allows the extraction of an equal amount of CBD from fewer plants. By selecting mother plants from the best producers, you can create an entire crop of plants with optimal yields.

Drawbacks To Cloning Progress

There are some hurdles to the expansion of cloning in cannabis. While not insurmountable, they can pose issues, especially for those new to growing. Add in the fact that many growers still have issues finding banking and insurance services to finance and protect their investment, and it is enough to scare some growers away from cloning.

There is no evolution when using only CBD clone strains. Strains develop different characteristics based on the blending of their parent-plants’ characteristics. Since cloning is a form of asexual reproduction, the mother plant passes on only her genetics to the clones. If you want to further change the line, you will have to begin introducing new genetic material again.

Getting started with cloning can be more expensive than traditional hemp growing. While using cloned plants eventually leads to better efficiency, the initial start-up costs can be higher. The added expense of buying and transporting partially grown plants vs. planting seeds can push some hemp farmers out of the market while others are forced to raise prices that are eventually passed onto the consumer.

Not everyone has the experience to create their own CBD clone strains, and sourcing reliable clones for an initial plant can be difficult. Creating your own hemp strains can be time-consuming and beyond the experience level of novice growers. That’s why so many growers exploring clones begin with a set of clones from an established strain. Unfortunately, the hemp industry is growing faster than effective regulation, and this has led to inexperienced growers buying from other inexperienced or malicious growers, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and entire crops.

How Clones Are Made

There are plenty of great tutorials about cloning cannabis plants online. They go through not just the process, but the best practices and come complete with equipment recommendations. This post isn’t to prepare you to be a cloning specialist yourself, but to give you a broad overview of clones and their place in cannabis cultivation. The basic process of creating a clone is relatively simple.

Start with a great mother plant. Decide what characteristics you want to see from your CBD clone strains. Once you’ve chosen the right mother plant, you’ll want to segregate it and begin preparing it for cutting clones. This can involve refraining from fertilization to lower the nitrogen content or just moving your plant to a “clean” room that keeps away stray dust and pollen.

Prepare your area. It should be clean and clear. You’ll want to have some water, root medium, and some sharp razor-knives. You want to use razors when taking your cuttings, because scissors have a tendency to crush and damage stems, making it more likely your clones will fail.

Pick your clones. On the mother plant, you’ll see the central stem/trunk with branches radiating out from it. You’ll want to look for branches that are low on the stalk and 8-10 inches in length, with several buds present on them.

Cut a branch from the stalk with your razor at a 45-degree angle to the branch, immediately placing the cut end in water. This gives you a long, diagonal cut. The greater surface area makes root development more likely. Placing it directly into water minimizes the chance that air bubbles can enter your new clone, making it more viable.

Trim your clones’ leaves and place the clones in their rooting medium. You’ll want to trim the lower half of your clone’s stem of leaves and buds. Whether you’re rooting in water, soil, or a non-soil medium, this is where your CBD clone strains will live until they show new vegetation. Then it’s time to find them their permanent place to grow.

Advancing Cannabis

While clones may not be for everyone, they are part of the future of hemp and CBD. Effective management of hemp strains will help create a stable, dependable supply of CBD-rich plants that will improve lives. If you’re looking for CBD oil products made from premium CBD, you can order yours from CBD Choice today.

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Disclaimer: Please be aware that any informational content on our website should not be viewed as professional medical advice. The CBD products sold on our site are not meant to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. If you have a serious health condition, take prescription medications, or are considering using CBD products as a dietary supplement, you should consult with a licensed medical professional.